Water-tight seam.



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WATER-TIGHT SEAIVL Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 6, 1910.

Application filed March 7, 1910. Serial No. 547,913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. HILDRETH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Tight Seams, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ship construction, and has for its object toprovide a simple and eflicient means for making the seams between theadjoining planking water-tight.

The invention aims to dispense with the use of oakum, pitch or the likeand to provide a joint of greater durability and which affords strengthto the laid planking. To these ends, I have devised a metallic lookingplate which is inserted within complementary rabbets provided thereforin the plank edges and having lateral flanges which are forciblyembedded in the plank material, and finally introducing a strip of woodwithin the channel of such plate to retain the same in operativecondition as well as making the top surface of the laid planking flushthroughout.

The detail construction of the invention will be hereinafter more fullydescribed and specifically claimed. 7

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1is a cross sectional view of a part of a floor or deck which is providedwith a recess to accommodate my invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view withthe seam closure plate inserted in the recess; and Fig. 3 a like viewwith the said plate applied and the recess closed with a filling piece.Fig. 4. is a plan view showing the machine employed in securing theplate in position; and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of thesame.

To carry my invention into effect, I form a rectangular shaped rabbet,5, (Fig. 1) upon the upper opposing sides of each plank A so that thelatter, when placed in juxtaposition, as at a, will present recessesseverally comprised of two rabbets extending downwardly from the outersurface of the floor or deck. l/Vithin a recess, as shown in Fig. 2, isinserted a trough shaped plate formed with a flat central web portion 6having a width slightly less than that of a groove and from its sideedges are upwardly extending flanges 7 which are bent near their outeredges to provide outwardly directed marginal ribs 8. To permit theinsertion of a plate within a deck-groove, the plate flanges 7 arerolled or otherwise formed to converge inwardly in order that the spreadof the outsides of the respective ribs 8 will be less than the width ofa groove. The plate is placed in a deck-groove to have its web 6 liedirectly upon the bottom 9 of the latter. VVhereupon apparatus, to behereinafter described, is employed to thrust the flanges 7 outwardly toforcibly press the marginal ribs 8 thereof into the wood of the opposingsides 10 and 10 of a deck-groove and to occupy the )ositions at whichthey are shown in Fig. 3. ubsequent to a plate being thus inserted andengaged with the adjacent planks, the opening above the plate andbetween such planks is filled with a wooden strip 11 or by cement. Wherea strip of wood is used it should be first thoroughly dried and slightlytapering to drive into the space between the plate-flanges and therebyserve as a key. After a strip is thus placed it is secured againstwithdrawal by toe nails 12 driven diagonally through the strip into theadjoining plank.

The devices for pressing the plate ribs 8 into the packing comprise aheavy body 13 having a wedge shaped forward end 1 1 while to the rearits width is equal to the distance between the plate flanges 7 when thesame are'spread apart to their greatest extent as determined by thewidth of the deck recess and at right angles with respect to the web 6.Said body is of at least the depth of such recess and is provided uponopposite sides with traction wheels 15 whose axles 16 are secured to thebody by extending through lugs 17 provided thereupon. These wheels arearranged to bear upon the outer surface of the planking to render moreeasy the propulsion of the device. Connected to the body 13 is a handle18 whereby the same may be drawn or pushed by the operator.

A plate, when inserted in a seam recess has, as before mentioned, itsflanges 7 inclined inwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, and to the left handside of Fig. l. The point 1 1 of the body of the spreading device isthen introduced between the flanges 7 and by forcing the body forwardthrough the instrumentality of the handle 18 the rear part of such bodycauses the plate ribs 8 to be forced into the wood and the flanges tooccupy positions at right angles to the web 6 and in contact with thesides of the recess. The filler 11 is then inserted to entirely closethe opening, as before explained.

The advantages of the invention reside in the absolute water-tightcondition of a seam to which my devices are employed, the facility inapplying the same, and the improved condition and appearance of the deckso' treated.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, is-

1. A deck-seam comprised by forming a recess between adjoining planks bythe provision of rabbets formed in the upper faces of the latter, aplate formed with a flat central web portion for seating upon the bottomof said recess and having flanges extending at right angles from thesides of said web and terminating in marginal flanges which arerespectively forced into the plank material to the sides of said recess,and a filler to fill the space in the recess which is unoccupied by saidplate and serving to maintain said marginal ribs in engagement with theplanking.

2. A deck-seam comprised by forming a recess between adjoining planks bythe provision of rabbets formed in the upperfaces of the latter, a plateformed with a central web portion for seating upon the bottom of saidrecess and having flanges extending 'upwardly from the sides of said weband terminating in marginal flanges which are respectively forced intothe plank material to the sides of said recess, and a filler to fill thespace in the recess which is unoccupied by said plate and serving tomaintain said marginal ribs in engagement with the planking.

3. A deck-seam comprised by forming a recess between adjoining planks bythe provision of rabbets formed in the upper faces of the latter, aplate formed with a flat central web portion for seating upon the bottomof said recess and having flanges extending at right angles from thesides of said web and terminating in marginal flanges which arerespectively forced into the plank material to the sides of said recess,a filler to fill the space in the recess which is unoccupied by saidplate and serving to maintain said marginal ribsin engagement with theplanking, and means for securing said filler in place. i 7

4. A deck-seam comprised by forming a recess between adj oining'planksby the provision of rabbets formed in the upper faces of the latter, aplate formed with a central web portion for seating upon the bottom ofsaid recess and havingflanges extending upwardly from the sides of saidweb and terminating in marginal flanges which are respectively forcedinto the plank material to the sides of said recess, a filler to fillthe space in the recess which is unoccupied by saidplate and serving tomaintain said marginal ribs in engagement with the planking, and meansfor securing said filler in place. 7 5. The means for protecting adeck-seam which is formed by a recess of less depth than the plankingand arranged symmetrically with respect to the subjacent seam betweenthe adjoining planks, and comprising a plate having a central webadapted to a lie on the bottom of the recess, flanges which are arrangedto contact with the sides of the recess, and marginal flanges which arerespectively pressed into the planking at opposite sides of the recessand a filler for closing the space within the recess which is unoccupiedby said plate.

6. The means for protecting a deck-seam

